The Homesick Hero (Title subject to much revision)
by marizzo
Summary: Link sets out to save his lifelong friend Ilia, plagued by doubt and crippling nostalgia. He struggles to find the courage to save his world while dealing with the grief of losing his friend. Rated T for violence and mild language and maybe for some minorly sexy tiemz later. TP retelling, but mostly canon. Probably won't be more than 20,000 words.
1. Chapter 1

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Just trying my hand at the fanfiction thing, reviews and suggestions are much appreciated (especially when it comes to the title)! I can't promise I'll update frequently after this week, but if people like it I'll make an effort. Thanks dudes :)

It had been a beautiful day, long and bright and full of late summer breezes that whispered of autumn. Across Hyrule, children had played in the shade of trees, young couples had walked through the fields, and even the most solemn of workers had allowed themselves a moment to bask in the natural beauty of their country. Friendships were made that day, laughs were shared and timid whispers had blossomed into hearty truths under the warmth of the sun's kiss, and finally the great star began its never-ending descent into eventide. Its light enveloped the ominous silhouette of Death Mountain, it filled every snow-covered valley of Peak Province, and it traveled far over Hyrule fields, illuminating the behemoth lake with a golden glow that could be seen for miles around. And this light that crossed seas and crested mountains and filled every crevice in the grand kingdom of Hyrule with it's noble warmth fell, at the end of its journey, on two humble figures, sitting atop a humble cliff, in the most humble of villages.

"I think this place is what I've missed most about your days off."

"Oh I see." The boy scoffed humorously as he lay back on the rock face. "You could just come without me."

"I would never dream of such a thing!" Ilia replied in mock horror at such a terrible suggestion. "I need Epona's help to get the picnic basket past the rocky bits."

The boy laughed at the sky, watching a lone hawk fly towards Karakiko. It had taken almost the whole day to reach the cliff top. They had set out before lunchtime, traveling through Faron woods to reach the base of the cliff. Epona had carried their basket most of the way, but the trusty steed had to be left by the forest temple, as the last stretch was too steep for her.

"After all," she grinned, "It's our Castle Ordon, and we have to rule this kingdom together. Think of the subjects, how could they stand the Queen ruling without her King?"

The mention of their childhood games put a smile on Link's face. When they were young, they had spent hours stacking rocks that still stood piled around them, or governing the forest monkeys that wandered up for food. Much of their youth had been spent greeting imaginary stewards or warring with imaginary tribes. Link had once spent two nights out in the forest, trying to find a place to expand their kingdom northwards. He had made it all the way to the Faron Springs before Ilia and his parents had found him, sick off of berries and insisting that the noble King and Queen of Ordona build a castle for the Light Spirit. His mother had cried and wouldn't stop until he promised not to wander off. She said that the Light Spirits must have been watching over him.

"It just…" Ilia looked down at her hands, the humor waning from her voice and jolting the young farmhand back to the present. "It wouldn't be the same."

Link looked at his friend, concerned by the gravity of her voice. Yesterday, he had learned that Rusl wanted him to take a gift to Hyrule. He wouldn't leave for another week, but this was a task that might take more than a month, more time than he had ever spent outside of Ordon Village. He had been ecstatic since he heard the news, but had been waiting to tell Ilia until today, hoping to celebrate with a picnic and a long day off. He had almost told her that morning, but she had stopped him at the mention of Rusl's name, saying that she didn't want to mar his day off with town gossip. Link had suspected that the Mayor had let the news slip, and was slightly hurt that she was so disinterested. She had said nothing more about it, and a heavy silence had settled between them for a few minutes.

Now, as the same long and uncomfortable silence enveloped the pair, he caught a hint of sadness in her features, and realized that maybe she wasn't as indifferent to his journey as he had thought. As she turned her head away from him, he debated how best to comfort his friend.

"Epona can be the King," Link declared as he sat up. He considered putting his arm around her shoulder, but he let the thought pass him by, giving her a playful nudge instead. "And I carried the basket through the hard part."

"Epona's a girl," She said, smiling faintly, not bothering to nudge back, "And a horse, neither of which have historically been desirable traits in a king."

"So picky!" He flicked a pebble at her good-naturedly, trying to coax the life back into his friend. "And you don't even miss me when I'm gone…"

"Hey!" she flicked it back, a familiar impish glitter returning to her eyes. "Great big beast, why would I? Always throwing your goats around and baring your teeth at lesser apes to assert your dominance."

Link smiled and turned towards Ilia. As he'd gotten older and stronger, Fado had been asking for more and more of his time at the ranch. He didn't mind the work, but as a result free days like this had grown very scarce, and the road out of the little farm town had seemed to grow wider and friendlier every day. And yet, as she laughed and shoved him playfully, it struck him how much he would miss these long and sunny days with his friend. Even though it was only for a few weeks, there would be no Ilia in Castle Town. Light glittered off her emerald eyes, making them shimmer like the far-off lake, and he wondered if you could see their Castle Ordon from its shores. He realized then just how incredibly lucky it was that they had both been born in such a small village, that they had ever met at all.

She cast a glance at Link and grinned when she met his stare. She pointed out over the forest below them at a cluster of spires on the far side of the shining lake. "Look, Isn't the castle beautiful at this time of day? I love the way the light catches the windows."

Link looked back out over the land, at all the miles he would cross in a week's time. It really was a spectacular view.

After a long silence, Ilia shot Link a furtive glance and added, "I'd like to go there some day."

"Really? And leave Ordon?"

"I mean, not forever. But don't you ever get the urge to get out of here? Go on an adventure?"

Truthfully, Link had never wanted anything else so badly in his life. To travel distant lands and meet exotic new friends, fighting evil foes and living ruggedly with nothing to comfort him but a sword, a horse, and the courage young boys dream that they might have when they need it. It was why he had accepted Rusl's offer without a second thought. But now, for the first time in his life, sitting next to this fantastically lucky friend on this magnificent day that continued to drift lazily towards night, Link considered the question and found a flicker of doubt.

And so he said nothing, and the pair sat in silence and watched the sun set. Something about the warm glow of twilight made him bold, and he slipped his arm around her shoulder.

"I'll miss you," he said finally.

"Yeah, I'll miss you too."

He smiled in the growing darkness. She smiled back, her eyes still shimmering faintly even though the sun's light no longer reached them.

"Even if you are a great big beast."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Probs 1 more chapter after this, then I'm done for the night. I have a lot more on der computer, but... I like to edit things. and stuff.

The memory played through his mind as he watched her from his perch at the hot springs.

_"I'll miss you"_

_"Yeah, I'll miss you too."_

He wondered if she missed him now. Not really him as a person, just the place he held in her life. He had always been there for her, and she had always been there for him. Now he wondered if there was anything left of her.

He visited Kakariko as often as he could. After finishing a long battle or navigating one of the many hidden temples and lost prisons where Midna's treasures seemed to hide, he always returned here to rest while his fresh wounds turned to scars. He passed the time playing with Colin or showing Talo his latest sword trick. But the visits always ended the same way. Someone, Renaldo or Colin or Beth or even the damned Cucco, would ask if he'd talked to Ilia. And the next morning he would ride off without a goodbye.

He hadn't spoken to her since he had escorted her to Kakariko. Even then, the events of the day had left him essentially speechless. Everything from that fateful afternoon was a blur, the bar, the battle on the plains, the sick Zora boy. He only saw her vacant stare pass over him without a second glance, only heard Telma ask nonchalantly if he knew her.

After that she had been busy watching over Prince Ralis, and Link had stayed out of her sight. Now, with the young Zora boy on the mend, she did nothing but wander up and down the empty street, confused and wringing her hands, and he did nothing but watch and brood and try to work up the courage to help her. It must be awful, he thought, to be no one.

"If you're not going to talk to her, we should head for Snowpeak to find that mirror shard," an impish voice whispered from his shadow. "We don't have time for your brooding."

"I'm not brooding," he spat, checking to see if the Gorons were listening. "I'm thinking."

This wasn't untrue. The pursuit of the mirror required a lot of thought, and he wasn't sure how he felt about them. The horrors of the Arbiter's Grounds still haunted his dreams; he shuddered to think what else the dark mirror could do. He hadn't set out from Ordon to be the mythic hero the light spirits seemed to think he was, that he imagined he could be as a child. He had set out to save his friends, and had been met with evil artifacts from another world. It terrified him. He didn't want to be an adventurer if it meant all this, with the walking dead and the dying princesses and the Light Spirit's terrible visions.

And the Beast he kept in a dark crystal in his pocket.  
"What is there to think about?" the Twili hissed from his shadow. "You were chosen to save Hyrule, you have to get that mirror."

"I didn't ask for this. I don't even know if getting the mirror is the right thing to do."

"Oh, for the love of the gods—"

"You know, brother," the Goron interrupted. "These springs work much better if you bathe in them, sitting near them does very little."

He turned to face the friendly Goron and his son, thankful for the opportunity to end his conversation with Midna.

"I know," he replied. "I was just…" He glanced back down at Ilia, who was sitting against the sanctuary with her head in her hands. "…thinking."

The Goron stood and followed his gaze. He sprawled out on a warm rock at the edge of the springs before continuing.

"You should talk to her, brother." He rumbled in the soothing tone of the Goron. "These are dark times for her, and she'll need a friend if she's to make it through."

"I'm not her friend though, she doesn't even know me…" He hesitated. "Not anymore."

"Neither does she know herself. But you know yourself, brother, and you know her better than anyone; it seems to me that gives you a very unfair advantage in the friendship."

Link allowed a small smile at the Goron's assessment of the situation. Something about their cleverly simple logic was extremely comforting, though he had found that it rarely meant anything.

"Maybe."

After a moment, he thanked the Goron for his time and headed for the stairs.

The Goron smiled to himself and climbed back into the spring. "Tell her I said to visit me more," he called.


	3. Chapter 3

"So are you going over there, or are you just setting up an inn-front branch of Brooding-Hero Incorporated?"

"Gods, would you shut up?" Link hissed. "Can't you go haunt someone else's shadow for a while?"

The Twili, to no surprise, denied him both requests, instead materializing into a shadowy silhouette and sat beside him on the inn steps.

"Maybe she knows something valuable from her imprisonment. Ask her if she's seen one of the mirror shards. We could use that."

"No, Midna." Link whirled to face her. "I'm not going to bring up an experience so terrible that it _wiped her memory_ for your sake. This doesn't have anything to do with your stupid mirror. This is about me, and her, and nobody else."

The shadowy imp sighed and propped her head on her hands.

"Well we don't have time for this lovey-dovey bullshit. Go say something so we can leave."

He glared at her single bright yellow eye before conceding. "I don't know what to say."

"How should I know?" She sighed. " Try, 'Hi, you don't know me at all but I know everything about you!' or 'I've been watching you incessantly for the past 28 hours!' or 'I especially like how you're ripping out your hair today, it totally brings out the crazy in your eyes!'"

"Midna!" he shouted, ready to throw a useless punch at her transparent outline, but she only grinned mischievously and melded back into his own shadow. Everything about the little imp infuriated him. Sometimes, he would readily give up the whole quest if it meant getting rid of her and her rude, arrogant prying.

"Swordsman?"

Link whirled around at the voice to find that Ilia had wandered across the street to him. She must have seen him shouting at the wall.

"Er… Link, right?" She looked as startled as he was. "Are you… Are you ok?"

He felt his cheeks go red as he looked down at his feet. "There was… um… a fly… was bothering me."

He heard a soft but indignant huff come from his shadow.

"Oh, ok…" She said delicately, still confused.

An awkward silence settled over them; Link stared at anything but her face while she studied his intently.

"Um…" she stumbled into conversation after a while. "The, uh… The children talk about you a lot. They seem to think you're very brave. I believe they exaggerate a bit sometimes, though."

He felt his cooling face start to tingle with embarrassment again.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, realizing what she had said. "I didn't mean… I mean I'm sure you're very good… I mean I know you're very brave… But um… They said you defended the village from an entire army of bulbins single-handedly, and saved a monkey princess from giant, fire-breathing goblins."

Link laughed an embarrassed laugh, a little too loud for a little too long. "That is a bit much," he said finally, winded.

She giggled, and the sound stirred something in him. "I mean, I don't even think she was a real princess, the king and queen of Ordon don't even know her." he joked, without thinking.

"But at least you saved her from the fire-breathing goblins," Ilia laughed aloud, before a strange look crossed her features. "Oh, but Ordon doesn't have a royal family, or… uh…"

Suddenly she hunched over with a pained cry. She held her head in her hands again, rubbing her temples and squeezing her eyes shut, and Link's heart froze. He hadn't meant to bring up the running joke from their childhood, but the effect was less than comforting.

"Shit… Um… Are you ok? I'll go and get Renaldo." He started towards the Shaman's house, but the girl stopped him.

"No!" She shouted, dropping her hands to her knees and opening her eyes. "No, I'm fine… I just get… I'm fine."

Slowly she stood back up.

"Are… are you leaving again, swordsman?" She asked finally. She spoke slowly, as though it required all her concentration.

"Yes." Link hesitated. "Maybe," he corrected. "It's kind of complicated."

She looked at him expectantly.

"Um…" he continued slowly, unsure how much to say. "I think… I think I have the opportunity to help people, all of Hyrule…But I'm worried..." images from Lanayru the light spirit's warning flashed through his mind; Ilia's dagger glinting with a deadly light as it fell to the ground, his own sword protruding from her chest, his cold eyes reflecting the light of the triforce. "I don't know if what I have to do would be safe."

He looked down at his pocket, where the beast lay waiting.

"I think it could get out of control."

"You _have_ to help them!" she yelled, seizing his arms violently, a sudden panic filling her eyes. It faded almost immediately, replaced with the confusion that always clouded her gaze, and her fingers relaxed their iron grip. "Er…" she touched her forehead lightly with one hand, the episode passing as quickly as it had come. "I think you should try… to help. I think… I trust you to keep us safe."

"Thank you…" He touched the small hand still gripping his arm and met her unfocused gaze. "Ilia…" Link searched her eyes for some sign of the old Ilia. He wanted to believe that she was there, just below the surface, trying to break out of the haze the Bulblins had left her with. But all he saw was the lost little girl, just a stranger, who had been wandering around Kakariko for the past month, and he turned away.

He saddled up Epona in a hurry, ignoring Midna's indignant remarks about the fly comment. Renaldo had emerged from Barnes' shop and was staring at them curiously. Link couldn't handle the Shaman's company right now. He packed quicker.

"Um… Link?" Ilia hadn't moved. She wasn't even looking at him, just staring at where he had stood a moment ago.

"Yes?"

"Just… Promise me you'll come home safely?"

Another goodbye flashed through his mind, what seemed like years ago, when his biggest concern was a month in Castle Town, or whether Fado would lose all the goats by the time he came home. She had made him promise then too, promise to come home safely. He had wanted to tell her that he would come back safe for her, that he would always come back for her, no matter what. He had wanted to say a lot of things that day, with the sun in her hair and tears twinkling in the corners of her eyes.

With the memory, he felt an icy cold hand grip his heart, it's loveless touch spreading through his veins, filling his mind with steely rage. He rode away without answering.

He rode fast, and for a very long time, ignoring Midna's shouted directions and Epona's protesting whinnies.

He only stopped when he reached the rim around Lake Hylia. The sun had set, and the moon was dancing across the waters below him. He leapt off of Epona and sat on the edge. He couldn't see their cliff top from here, only the darkness of the Faron woods. He realized there were bitter tears streaming down his face.

Midna sprung up beside him and gingerly laid a weightless hand on his shoulder.

"That was a bad idea." He told her, wiping his face with his tunic.

She said nothing and he reveled in the silence.

"Come on," he said finally, rousing Epona. "We can make it to the Zora domain by midnight and sleep there."

"Ok," replied the Twili. "Link… I'm sorry."

He said nothing, and they rode on.


	4. Chapter 4

Link stared up at the ceiling, lying on his back. He thought it rather cold and unpleasant in here, and imagined his forests back in Ordon. The stars twinkling through breaks in the canopy, moonlight flooding the path in front of him.

"Did you mean it?" he had asked suddenly. "About leaving Ordon?"

"Sure." She was stroking Epona's mane as Link led the horse along. "Why?"

"It just… Surprised me." Fireflies began to dance around them as they approached the healing springs. "I thought you loved Ordon more than anything."

"I do… Of course I do." She had thought for a moment. "Have you ever seen the springs when the fireflies are out?" she asked suddenly.

He had, many years ago on the Faron springs when he had wandered off. He had thought they were a million little Light Spirits, come to welcome him to their castle-less home. "The last time I saw the fireflies on the springs," He had said, "I still carried a stick in my belt and called it a sword."

She had laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling him down the path and letting Epona walk her own way home.

The water, which sparkled crystal clear during the day, came alive in the light of the fireflies. The fairy-bugs swirled slowly through the air around them, and the pool more than sparkled now, it glowed with an incandescent blueish-green, illuminating the entire clearing. The gentle twinkling of the fireflies had turned it into another world, full of wonder and magic. Ilia had waded into the center of the pond, pulling Link with her. He felt the soothing powers of the springs cool his tired feet below him, an unearthly peace flooding over him.

"Look" she had whispered, staring up at the open sky, "We're standing on a star."

Link looked up and it could have been true. The glow of the springs blocked out the silhouette of the trees, leaving only the fireflies. It was impossible to tell where they ended and the sky began.

"I had forgotten about this." She had said, dropping her gaze to rest on her friend, her hand still resting in his. "I think leaving something for a while can make you love it more. You start to miss all the things you had forgotten, and you come back for them… It means something if you can see every wonderful thing the world has to offer, and refuse it all for fireflies."

She had squeezed his hand gently, and after a moment turned away.

He had thought about that for a long time. He had wondered if he thought the world could have anything better to offer than the sleeping village looming in front of them, or the girl walking beside him, watching her forgotten fireflies. They had reached his tree house at the top of the hill, but he had not wanted to sleep just then, and Epona whinnied softly as they past. They had walked in silence to the Mayor's house, a lone lantern awaiting Ilia's return on the porch.

They had said goodbye, and she had looked at him expectantly for just a moment. She had turned to go, and he had grabbed her shoulder gently.

"Ilia, wait…" he had wanted to say something to her, but had found himself lost for words. He had stared into those bottomless emerald pools for a long while, thinking of the fireflies flitting over the springs. "I… There's nothing out there that I wouldn't come home for."

She had met his gaze for a long time after that, her eyes searching his own for the meaning behind his words. Then she looked away, and the moment was over. She went inside, taking the lantern with her, and Link had walked home in the darkness, smiling to himself.

He smiled to himself now as he lay on the icy floor, remembering the glowing spring and the forgotten fireflies. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see their steady twinkling. He let himself drift away from the chaos around him; Yeto was howling as his beloved wife awoke from her twilight-induced haze. Link could feel the scrapes and bruises from the battle. He thought he might be bleeding somewhere, but the cool ice made him feel at peace. Like he was standing on a star…

"Link!" Midna yelled in his ear, disturbing his peace. "You should get out of here. I'll warp you back to Kakariko, that gash looks like it could use some of Renaldo's help."

He sat up, shaking his head to clear it, trying to return to the present. A flying ice shard had sliced through the armor on his left thigh during the fight, and a pool of red was forming on his tunic.

Slowly he stood, trying not to put pressure on it. "No," he told the imp, thinking of his last visit to the mountainside village. "Not Kakariko, anywhere else." He gasped in pain as he took a step towards the portal she had opened.

"Where then?" she had asked as she seized the mirror fragment, locking it away with her using some Twili magic. The steely black thing glinted with a cold fury before it vanished into her shadow, and Link shivered at the sight.

Link regained his composure and used his sword as a cane. "Ordon." He replied. "Rusl and Uli can patch me up."

"Okie dokie, whatever floats your boat, hero."


	5. Chapter 5

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yo dawgs, let me know if you want me to keep writing! My break ends like... tomorrow, so writing frequently will be much harder to do. Also, reviews are the bomb dot com.

The setting sun fell on a sole figure, overlooking a broken village in a twisted world, alone on a cliff top. He had been in Ordon for four days, sharing stories from Kakariko and allowing his leg to heal, and already he was itching to leave. The village seemed empty without its children, unwelcoming and haunted. The next mirror fragment was close, it had to be somewhere in the Sacred Grove he had found the Master Sword in. He would be ready to face the maze-like forest within a few days, according to Uli's caring eyes.

But first he had visited Mayor Bo. Ilia's father had heard nothing of his daughter's state except that she was safe, but ill, in Kakariko. With a churning stomach, Link had told him the whole truth, and the giant had broken down in tears.

After a while, the mayor composed himself with a pint of ale. He had spent the rest of the afternoon sharing stories and reminiscing over his daughter, speaking as though she had died. Link sat at his table and drank, listening and saying little.

The mayor had nodded off, and Link had traveled to the cliff top; the journey went much faster when he was alone. He let the drink cloud his mind as he gazed over the lands, realizing that he had traveled to every corner of Hyrule since his last visit to Castle Ordon. It was early summer. Almost a year.

A sound behind him made him jump, Link whirled around sloppily, fumbling for his blade. He found himself face to face with Rusl, who roared with laughter at the lilting sword being pointed at his face.

"I thought I might find you here," he chuckled, "You'd better sit down, son. I'd be very disappointed if the great Hero of Ordon died of a drunken tumble down a cliff.

Link obliged, the spirits making him grin foolishly as the old knight took a seat beside him.

"You're in far better shape than our mayor, at least," Rusl said seriously, his brow furrowing. "He told me about Ilia. I had no idea."

The hero said nothing in response, his smile fading.

"Do you remember when I asked you to take that gift to Hyrule? Before the trouble with the Bublins? I had wanted you to see some of what the world had to offer. It wasn't fair, you being trapped up on the hill all alone, and always working at the ranch. I saw you watching Faron Woods more and more, I could see you itching for an adventure. If… Well, if your parents had lived longer, I imagine you would have traveled to every corner of Hyrule by that age, maybe even twice."

He tweedled his thumbs uncomfortably for a while before continuing.

"They were true vagabonds, your parents. I was always surprised when they decided to settle down in Ordon.

Link remembered very little of his parents. As a young boy they would often leave him in Rusl's care as they went off on mysterious and exotic adventures, promising that one day he would join them. One trip lasted particularly long, first a week, then two, then a month, before Rusl finally got a letter from a far-off mortician.

After a short moment of silence in remembrance of the dead, Rusl carried on.

"Anyways, I was telling Bo this, about the gift to Hyrule, over dinner the night before I came to you. He had noticed that you carried your parents' restlessness as well, and thought it was a grand idea. And, as per usual, he found cause enough to celebrate with a few too many drinks. He kept going on and on about how much you would love Castle Town, and how he knew Ordon had always been too small for you. Ilia had been there as well, and as her father went on and on about Castle Town and the culture and the splendor and the fine women, I could see that she was unhappy.

"She was so close to you, I knew that the thought of you leaving would upset her enough without her father's rambling. And sure enough, after dinner she tracked me down, crying rivers down her face, and begged me not to send you away. With all his talk, her father had managed to convince her that you would never come home once you got out there, the poor girl.

"I knew of course that you were destined to be a traveler. You are your parents' son, without a doubt. I couldn't lie to her, and I couldn't deny you this opportunity. So I looked her dead in the eyes and told her the truth. I told her that I would ask you to go and you would take the job without a second thought. And I told her that you would go on a merry adventure and meet lots of magnificent people and see lots of magnificent sights. But, I told her, 'He will always come back to Ordon, not for its goat cheese or for the rustic farming atmosphere, but because he loves it, and he loves you. He's just forgotten it right now.'

"She didn't understand right away, but a few days later she thanked me. And now, I hope you will try to understand as well. She may seem very far away now, almost gone. But she's still our Ilia, and if you remind her of it, she'll come back to us. Because she loves this village, and she loves you, even though she's forgotten everything about you, she still does. It's who she is."

Link forced a sad smile at his old friend and mentor, the spirits' haze clearing with time. But Rusl hadn't seen the vacant eyes. Hadn't watched her wander up and down Kakariko for hours on end, purposeless and abandoned. He couldn't know.

But Rusl accepted the pitiful smile as a sign of great comfort, and stood up, his work done.

"I'm glad I could help," he stated happily. "Now I imagine you've got to be off soon. I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. I know you're playing a bigger part in all this than Telma's letting on, and I wanted to let you know, I wouldn't put my trust in anyone else."  
He offered Link a hand and pulled him up, giving him a great bear hug.

"Your parents would be so proud," he choked, emotion flooding back into his voice as he squeezed the breath out of the young man.

He let go and gave Link a stiff and out of place salute, before setting off down the cliff. Link watched him go, and as he disappeared Midna materialized in his place.

"What do you think of what he said?" he asked.

"I think he's a fool," she said without hesitation. "The girl needs medicine, and an end to Ganon's darkness, not your shoulder to cry on, as evidenced by your last visit."

Her words stung. "He was like a father to me," he said coolly. "He's no fool."

"Then why ask me in the first place?" she spat back, slipping back into the shadow.

Link ignored the imp, setting off down the cliff. But as he reached the base, near the forest temple, his constant companion shimmered into existence again.

"How's your leg?" She asked urgently, the edge from before still lingering in her voice. "Those cockroach creatures weren't so tough last time, we could save some traveling if we just went for the mirror now."

What she said was true. The forest, though maddening, had left him with only a few cuts from dashing through the undergrowth last time, and his leg was healing quickly. But her hurry concerned him.

"Why the rush?"

"Why wait?" She said with frustration. "I just want this to be over with, I'm sick of this wretched place."

"What's your problem?"

Her patience, which had never been spectacular, had decreased dramatically since the arrived in Ordon. She only spoke with him now to remind him of the nearby mirror, or to nag him over his 'time-wasting.'

"What's _your_ problem?" she yelled "Sitting around here pining for that stupid girl, drinking and running off to brood on that damned cliff when you should be training? I thought you were moving on from your silly little love-quest when you came here, but all you've done is mope. There are more important things for you to do."

"Not to me," The last of the drink filled his words venomous hatred. "There's nothing more important than getting her back."

"She's as good as dead_._" Her crimson eye narrowed with fury.

Link turned away in disgust, saying nothing. Midna sighed, realizing the harshness of her words before continuing.

"That was a too far." She admitted. "But she'll _die_, really die, they all will. You're the only one who can stop it. And it won't come from dreaming of the past."

He could not deny the truth in her words, however much he wanted to. He grabbed for the dark crystal in his pocket, feeling the change wash over his body.

It still hurt like hell.

"Does this mean you're ready for the grove?" the imp asked. His beast mind was wild and untamed, but he managed to nod his great head. They crossed the gorge quickly, and he seized at the master sword, feeling the darkness leave him as quickly and painfully as it had come.

He kneeled for a moment, panting as his vision returned to normal. It was like walking into brilliant sunlight after a month of total darkness. Disorienting, but welcome, and so bright that it hurt.

"I'm glad you've seen things my way," Midna beamed at him.

He answered her cheerfulness with a glare. He could feel that the Beast had not yet left his eyes, and saw a flicker of fear pass through her features. Without a word, he stood and walked into the maze.


End file.
